The red-tail boa constrictor was discovered by the Rev. Irene Monroe at about 8:30 a.m., wedged between two doors on the porch of her home on King Place.

For Monroe, the snake was not a welcome sight.

"I go into this little nook here -- look at this area here and here is this boa constrictor almost saying 'good morning Irene,'" Monroe recalled. "What if I had a heart condition? I felt like I had one today, you know I almost went into cardiac arrest."

Six responding officers were able to safely get the 4-foot-long reptile into a backpack but were unable to determine who it belonged to.

Dan Riviello, director of communications and media relations for Cambridge police, said the nearby Petco on First Street agreed to take the snake so that it did not have to be put down.

Edwin White of Petco said the snake is male and about 4 years old. He said red-tail boa constrictors can grow up to 18 feet.

"They don't bite as much as other snakes but they wrap around and choke things,” White said.

Owning red-tail boa constrictors is legal in Massachusetts. White said judging by the friendliness of the snake, he is likely a pet.

Petco plans to have the snake checked out by a local veterinarian. The store is hoping the animal’s owner comes forward to claim him. If not, the snake will be put up for adoption.

Monroe said wherever the snake ends up, she hopes he doesn’t pay her a return visit.

"It feels like wild kingdom, and what gets me is I understand people have an assortment of pets but there’s a certain level of responsibility that really needs to be adhered to,” she said.

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